Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-07-27
A NATIONS FALL.
In African King Finds Joy In the Wine
OF the Palma Rulers Vice Brings
Decentralization 10 His People,
a Whole Tribe of Negroes on Spree.
General Destruction CT
Property.


and one or two reached over to arouse
their companions aud call attention to
the presence Of 8 Stranger in the neigh
borhooj. But no one rose and ran to the
waters edge, as is generally tbc case
when q European passes By in 8 raft
This tribe,U said the native, sis not q
large one and /. il steadily diminishing
once II was powerful and numerous and
given to war and conquest. Bat not
long Eg0 there was king OF the tribe
who found great 10y IN the wine CT tue
PAIN, no new thing indeed for either e
king or g common man 10 do, but with
MN the lO7 was so exceeding great that
he wished continually to be drunk, and,
as 4 matter Of fact, @ratited his wish
without stint. For there are many palms
all about, as you see, and all men are
anxious to bring thst TO the King which
pleases him, TIE King drank VISIT
quantities Of wine, and although
the royal example would have
been enough 10 demorslizs the people,
they were more strongly urged upon the
downward psta by the Kings direct
orders. was not enough that he should
himself glow with the fiery excitement,
bat he must hsVe company ard Rs the
love of int0N cation grew upon him he
commanded urst al MS chiefs and cap
tsins, and then his warriors, and finally
the commOnest people to drink with him,
And il is said, indeed, that they had fine
times together, They began their drink
ING as the sun went down, and when il
was entirely set they were Q long way to-
ward madness. And presently. when the
moon was wei up in the SKY, great
rage seized them sll, and they set about
destruction Of all things within their
reach. In bands Of from siX 10 9 score
they TOsmed about the village knocking
down fetiches, tearing up the cooking
IreplaCes before the houses, and even de
mOlishiUg the houses themselves. And it
came 20 pass that as the habit OF madness
grew upon the community it took expires
sion chiefly in the destruction Of the
dwellings, and none were spared the
disaster tnat accompanied eaCh nights
debsuCl. The King aimse1 with WantOn
hand, save the frs, blow 20 the posts of
his own house, and it WIS leyeIed to the
dust
"Aud in the morning when all We're
head weary and as those VINO awake VIC
-ently from the first hour Of sleep, they
mad 10 ind shelter for themselves against
the d0u5ly strong rays of the melting
sun. And in their desperation and re
0eutGuCe and exhaustion, the best they
could do was to erect such temporary
shelter as YOU see there upon the shore
& is true that not all The houses were
destroyed on the first great night when
the tribe was ST. .Lad with palm rage, but
one after another they were au sacked.
and il is further true that with the rising
Do
g deep and sjCkly repentance OF their
folly, the more so as they saw
one and another die undor the burn
ing rays Of that great being whiCl is e.
once our Cherisher and our bitterest foe
Bat the King was stern end resolute il
this one thing alone. that all the plOple
should deluge themselves with wine, an I
when any resisted with feeble protest he
mad them speedily put to death Event
uallv he compelled even the women
and children 10 Join IN the mad ecstasy.
Some Of the more seTiOus men indeed,
fed to other tribes, and that only hestened
the downfall Of this one. For the others
at one made conquest The prowess OF
tLls tribe was nOt so easily weakened by
drunkenness that they yielded with no
struggle. On the contrary, they aroused
fights, but were steadily beaten, and
when finally the men OF Wanda 20, 60
which town we shall ONE in few DAYS.
DVerCame The remnant Of brave and CapG-
Bile men in this tribe, they mad such re-
spect Tor the ancient reputation of the
people that they deemed il advisable, in
stead Of putting the King TO death, 10 ap-
point him nominal ruler over his Old dis
rV1 hot r1 s,.,,
his habits and thus keep his people from
regaiuing their OLD time prowess And
such was the result. To this day the
King drains the palm trees Of their Juices
TO make wine, aud his companions have
sunk TO the lowest depths Of baseucss, I
and a continual destruction Of ell Things
useful to themselves is continued one
by one they rapidly die, and in 8 lew
wears they will cease TO exist
The doctor sent word oi his arrival 10
the King, and waited for s command TO
approach the royal presence. 1t was long
before il came but tioslly, about $50,
messenger came to the raft bearing 8 /
sOuCj OF wine as Sn Offering, sud saying .
that presently the King would receive the /
white man, A little later Dr.. Harrison |
went up the bank and approached the hut !
hardly distinguished from the sgual0r of /
the others in the village, where the King !
sat He was . stupid, cruel looking Afr1- /
can, sitting on 9 'Jg under his swnirg, /
very drunk. The doctor made profound |
salaGms, and address sed him through an in /
terpreter, with friendly greeting.
"G1od," grunted the King: "5ut has
the white man drunk my Wine?'
"Oh, King" responded the doctor, |
"the white man drinks no wine Of any |
kind Be pleased, therefore, to accept |
his friendship as all the more kindly /
while he uses not your gift"
TIE King wss vastly displeased and |
few into q rage. He insisted that all |
men in his country knew the taste of wine |
and its pleasures, and no one was a |
true friend Of the land who rejected its |
choicest fruit. And when the |
doctor still refused to drink the .
King rose to his feet unsteadily, stag |
gered 10 q posi- Of his hut, and lesning .
heavily upon it, called out in loud but /
broken tones that the stranger should be |
instantly put TO death. The Interpreter /
who understood the command did not .
wait TO translate, but picked the doctor
up IN his arms and ran with him to the .
riyrar F,1lnvr.F Inv tho pFbar ,,.;,.... -.